How Can I Serve With The Honor Guard, Pipes and Drums

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation invites your Honor Guard Unit or Pipe Band to participate during the 38th Annual Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend on October 5 – 6, 2019, in Emmitsburg, Maryland. On this special weekend, a grateful nation will honor the brave men and women who died in the line of duty during 2018 and those who died in previous years.

Registration

Registration for members of the Honor Guard, Pipes & Drums to participate in 2019 is closed.

Arlington Wreath Laying

Be a part of the continuing tradition of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Memorial Weekend. All fire service personnel are invited to attend the placement of a Memorial Wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery on Thursday, October 3, 2019 at 11:15 am. For more information click here.

Arrival and Credentialing

Honor Guard check-in and credentialing will take place on Friday afternoon and evening at Mt. St. Mary’s University PNC Sports Complex (formerly Knott Arena) from 1:00 – 11:00 pm. You will be issued your credentials to access the Memorial Weekend events at this time.

Honor Guard Orientation and Rehearsal

There will be a mandatory Honor Guard and Pipe Band orientation meeting in E Building Auditorium for all personnel at 7:30 am. A mandatory rehearsal for honor guard personnel is scheduled immediately following this meeting. The schedule for Honor Guard and Pipes & Drums Orientation and Rehearsals will be sent out via e-mail closer to the Memorial Weekend.

Pipes and Drums

For Pipes and Drums members, please visit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Memorial Pipes and Drums website at www.nfffpd.com to obtain the list of tunes for the Memorial Weekend or to contact the Pipe Major or Drum Major.

Scheduled Events

On Saturday, honor guard members can be part of the daylong vigil in the National Memorial Chapel. Families will visit the Chapel to place roses in a Maltese Cross on the altar and light candles in honor of their loved ones. Honor guard members can also be part of the Candlelight Vigil on Saturday evening where talented survivors and firefighters provide music, and a candle is lit in honor of each firefighter being honored.

On Sunday morning, October 6, honor guard members will join fire service personnel in a Sea of Blue through which the families will enter the campus. A procession of honor guard and bagpipe units will begin the national tribute.

Lodging and Meals

On-campus housing is available for up to four members with priority being given to those agencies having a fallen firefighter being honored in 2019. Agencies that do not have a firefighter being honored are responsible for making their off-campus lodging arrangements and paying all associated expenses.

If you plan to eat meals on campus, you will need to purchase a meal ticket for the Friday evening meal, all three meals on Saturday and for breakfast and lunch on Sunday. Meal tickets should be purchased through the NETC Dining Hall’s website.

The link to do so will be e-mailed to registrants when it becomes available. All meal tickets will be distributed at the Dining Hall on campus.

If you have any questions, please contact Eric Nagle at (301) 447-1431 or by email at enagle@firehero.org.

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National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Does Not Solicit Donations by Phone

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation does not solicit donations by phone or employ outside companies to do so. You can make a donation by mail, by phone or through our website. If you have any questions/concerns please contact us.

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Emmitsburg, Maryland

Special Combined Federal Campaign Solicitation Donation Using #10292

Federal, military, and postal service employees can donate to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation through Combined Federal Campaign contributions during a CFC special solicitation now through June 30, 2020. The Foundation’s agency number is 10292. State and local government employees can write in the Foundation as their agency of choice.

We appreciate your continued support to honor and remember America’s fallen fire heroes and their families.

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Directions, Parking, and Shuttle for Memorial Weekend

There will be no on-campus parking during the Candlelight or Memorial Services.

Parking will be available at Mt. St. Mary’s University PNC Sports Complex in Emmitsburg, with regular shuttle service to the campus. On Friday (Honor Guard, Escorts, Volunteers) and during the day on Saturday, a shuttle will run at scheduled times from designated parking areas in Emmitsburg to the campus. On Sunday, shuttle service will run from Mt. St. Mary’s University to the National Emergency Training Center campus.

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